McSweeney – Fanning Family History

Eason Cook Family History

James Eason Cook my gggrandfather came out to Australia c1850 from Dundee Scotland. He was a mariner and ship builder. He married Mary Condon an Irishwoman from Co Cork and they had eleven children and lived at Snapper Point Mornington in Victoria. His second marriage was to Annie Lord Senior. My ggrandfather Robert Eason Cook born in 1874 and died in Brisbane in 1906. He had four children the eldest, Grace Annie Frances Cook, was my grandmother.

My maternal great grandfather Robert Eason Cook’s family tree can be traced back to 1837 in Dundee Scotland.

His father, James Eason Cook, was a boat builder and born about 1837 in Dundee Scotland, in Angus, a maritime county in the east of Scotland. On both his marriage and death certificates his place of birth is given as Dundee.

Map of Dundee — Area around Dundee Scotland

On his marriage certificate to Ann Lord Senior his mother’s name is Isabella Hodges. I have been unable to find his birth record or to find his family on any of the Scottish census records.

He came out to Australia about 1850. His death certificate states he spent two years in NSW and three years in Western Australia and 59 years in Victoria. A direct descendant of James and Annie Lord Senior told me the three years in Western Australia were in Kalgoorlie and he was gold mining there. Gold was discovered in Kalgoorlie in 1893 so it had to be some time after then. He also told me that James Eason Cook was married three times.

I have found a record for a James Cook who came out in 1854. This is possibly but not definitely him. If he was born in 1837 he would have been 17 when he arrived on the “Kurrajong” in Sydney. The “Kurrajong” was a merchant ship. He may have put his age up. If he was 17 that makes him 22 when he married Mary Condon in 1859.

Ship’s Passenger List the “Kurrajong” 14 Oct 1854

James Eason Cook 1854 Kurrajong from Dundee to Sydney — Ship’s Passenger List the “Kurrajong” 14 Oct 1854

He married Mary Condon, an Irish woman from Co Cork, in 1859 at the Church of St Francis Melbourne Victoria. His occupation was given as seaman and his father was a boat builder.

St Francis' Church Melbourne 1861 — St Francis’ Church Melbourne 1861

Marriage Certificate of James Eason Cook and Mary Condon Melbourne 1859.

The Condon family came from the townland of Ballynamona in the Catholic Parish of Mitchelstown in the Diocese of Cloyneand the Civil Parish of Brigown in Co Cork. Later another, no doubt related, Condon family from Ballynamona emigrated to Victoria. That was Garrett Condon and his wife Ellen nee O’Gorman and their son Maurice. In the 1901 and 1911 Census records for Ballynamona there are lots of Condons still residing there.

Ballynamona is a small townland and in Griffiths Valuation in the 1850’s there were eight Condon families living there out of a total of nineteen entries. Condon seems to have been a common Cork surname.

Ballynamona Townland Co Cork Griffiths Valuation.

Mary Condon came out in on the Star of the South with her sister Bessie on Aug 5 1857. She was aged 20.. A brother and sister Bridget were already in Melbourne.

Snapper Point Mornington by J. Crear c1855 nla pic an 5694871 — Snapper Point Mornington Johannah Crear

They lived at Snapper Point Mornington and had eleven children between the years 1860-1879. The township of Mornington developed from the first settlement at Snapper Point. Mornington had a good deep water port and became the link between Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.

Snapper point Robert Bruce nla pic an 10328044

There is a record on the Victorian Heritage database of James Eason Cook having built the schooner “Sybil” at Mornington in 1874. In 1877 The Argus 31 July reported him as standing for election as mayor at the municipal elections. He was unsuccessful. Unfortunately in 1880 he was declared insolvent.

Melbourne’s cable cars began operation in 1885 so if James was involved he may have worked for this company.

Melbourne's First Cable Car — Melbourne’s First Cable Car

Gold was discovered in Kalgoorlie in 1893 and James may well have spent the next three years over there trying to get his finances in order.

James Eason Cook Insolvency The Argus 20 Nov 1880

His wife Mary Condon died of consumption (tuberculosis) in 1896 in Prahran Melbourne. She had been in Victoria for 39 years, so came out about 1857. She is buried with a Bridget Condon, most likely her sister, in Melbourne Cemetery. Bridget died when she was 22 in 1859, the same year that Mary married James Eason Cook. On Bridget’s death certificate it states she had been in the colony for six years which would mean she came out about 1853.

Mary Cook nee Condon Death 1896 — Mary Cook nee Condon Death Certificate 1896

Cook nee Condon Mary Will & Probate 2 1896 c — Will of Mary Cook nee Condon Jan 1896

Cook nee Condon Mary Probate 1896 c — Assets of Mary Cook May 1896

James Eason Cook Sale of Farm Mornington Standard 25 Feb 1897 c — Sale of Mary Cook’s Mornington Farm. The Mornington Standard 25 Feb 1897

The sale of the Mary Cook’s farm at Mornington was advertised in The Mornington Standard on 25 Feb 1897.

After his wife’s death James Eason Cook moved from Mornington to the city of Melbourne.

In 1898 he married Annie Lord Senior and they had two children, Margaret Newbury and Joseph William. In 1909 James was living at 385 Swan St Richmond with Annie and working as an ironmonger. The descendant of Annie and James also told me that James Cook designed and built the first rail car (tram) in Melbourne.

James Eason Cook and Ann Lord Senior Marriage 1898

Annie Lord Cook was 45 when James died in 1910. He was 75. James was helping to move a grand piano when he died. Annie lived at 28 Clyde St St Kilda for the rest of her long life and worked as a charwoman. She died in 1956 aged 89. She and James are both buried in Boroondara Cemetery in Kew Melbourne.

His will and probate papers are online at PROV.

James Eason Cook's Will — Will of James Eason Cook 1909

James Eason Cook Assets 1910 c — Assets of James Eason Cook 1910

James Eason Cook, Annie Lord Cook & William Henry Senior Boroondara Cemetery Kew — Grave of Annie Lord Senior and James Eason Cook Boroondara Cemetery to the right of the Lancaster Grave

The eleven children of Mary Condon and James Eason Cook were Isabella who married William Stanley, George who married Louisa Davie, John, James Thomas, Mary Ann who married Robert Alexander Jones, William, Ellen who married David Carrick Trainer, Alfred Eason married Rebecca Elizabeth Putt, Robert Eason married Annie McSweeney (See McSweeney Family History), Thomas married Amy Annie Drake, and Anna.

Robert Eason Cook was my great grandfather. He was born in 1874 at Snapper Point. He was a clerk. In 1893 he married Annie Teresa McSweeney.

Annie McSweeney and Robert Cook Marriage 1893

They had four children: Grace Annie Frances born 2 Nov 1893 in Prahran Melbourne, James Alexander Thomas Eason born also in Prahran in 1896, John Walter Clemont born South Yarra 1901 and a stillborn child born on 18 August 1904.

Robert died in Brisbane in 1906. He was working there as an indent clerk and his brother Thomas who was living in Perth WA was also there. Robert was living in Wickham Terrace.

Robert Eason Cook Wickham Terrace brisbane c1900 — Wickham Terrace Brisbane c1900

Robert Eason Cook Death Cert 1906 — Robert Eason Cook Death Certificate 1906

Robert Eason Cook was 32 when he died and was buried in Toowong Cemetery Brisbane Queensland Australia.

Annie was with Rupert Owen Croxton Collier, the son of James Lyon Collier, the long time Clunes post master and native of Northamptonshire England. They had five children and married in 1908 in Collingwood Melbourne. Their first child was born in March 1906 in Bacchus Marsh and Robert Eason Cook died in Sept of that year in Queensland. I think we can assume their marriage had broken down.

Rupert Collier died age 37 in 1916 of the Spanish Flu. Annie died three years later of pneumonia aged 46. I remember being told by my grandmother that her parents had died during the Spanish Flu epidemic. They are buried together in Springvale Cemetery Melbourne.

After Annie’s death there were eight children as orphans. I was told some were put in an orphanage.

The Age, Sat 26 August 1911, has the marriage announcement for Grace Cook and Ernie Wilson:

“Wilson-Cook On the 19th July (by special request) at St Ignatius’ Church, Richmond by the Rev Father Brennan, Grace, only daughter of the late Robert Eason Cook, St Kilda, eldest daughter of Mrs Rupert Collier, Carlton to Ernest Ralph Wilson, second son of the late Mr Charles Wilson and Mrs Mary V Wilson of Richmond”.

When my grandmother Grace married Ernie Wilson they came to live with her and she raised eleven children all together, including her own four.

Grace was married three times. After being married to Ernie Wilson and having three boys to him she met James Knighton and after divorcing Ernie married Jim Knighton.

James William Charles Knighton in uniform c1914 — Jim Knighton c1914

He was my grandfather. They had two children but one was stillborn. Jim left to live with a French woman Juliette and the marriage broke down. In 1941 Grace wanted to remarry and divorced James Knighton to marry a Scottish seaman Arthur White.

Grace Cook and Arthur White Wedding Allan Turner on right and Bloss Skinner bridesmaid 20 Dec 1941 — Grace Cook marries Arthur White Brother? Bloss Skinner nee Collier, Arthur White, Grace Knighton, Allan Turner 20 Dec 1941

Arthur was born in 1901 in Lerwick the capital of the Shetland Islands, in the very north of Scotland.

Lerwick Shetland Islands Scotland — Lerwick, Shetland Islands Scotland

They were living together in 1943 and 1949 but I was told he went back to Scotland to see his mother. His father was deceased when they married in 1941 he had been a fisherman. His mother’s name was Margaret Watt. I can only assume he didn’t come back.

Descendant Report of James Eason Cook

O’Regan Family History from Limerick to Emerald Hill Melbourne

Thomas Dobbins O’Regan was born in Co Limerick Ireland c1819. He came out to Tasmania c1838 and stayed there for five years before moving to the colony of Victoria. He lived in Emerald Hill and owned The Australia Hotel in Bourke St Melbourne. He married Johannah Walsh in 1842 in Melbourne and they had nine children. He died in 1888 and is buried in the Melbourne Cemetery. He is my ggggrandfather on my mother’s side.

Map of irish Counties 2 — Irish Counties Showing Co Limerick and Co Cork

The O’Regans are part of my mother’s family. Thomas Dobbins O’Regan is my ggggrandfather.

William O’Regan and Grace Dobbins were the parents of Thomas Dobbins O’Regan. They were married in St marys in LImerick City on 8 July 1811.

On his son Thomas Dobbins O’Regan’s death certificate his father’s occupation was given as teacher.

Thomas Dobbins O’Regan was born about 1819 in Co Limerick Ireland. He came out to Tasmania Australia about 1838. He married Johannah Walsh in 1842 in Melbourne Victoria Australia in the Parish of St Francis. At this stage Victoria was a part of NSW. Elenor and Michael McNamara witnessed their marriage.

Thomas Dobbins O'Regan and Johanna Walsh Marriage 1842_croppedagain — Marriage Certificate of Thomas Dobbins O’Regan and Johannah Walsh 1842

Johannah Walsh was born in Co Cork Ireland and had spent 38 years in Victoria at the time of her death. She must have emigrated about 1840 at age 20. As yet I haven’t been able to find any immigration records for her.

Thomas and Johannah had nine children:
William Augustus born 1844 and died in 1883 in Prahran Melbourne;
Cecilia Agnes born 1846 and died the following year after an accidental scalding;

Thomas Joseph born 1848 died 1899 in St Kilda Melbourne; John born 1859; Sarah Ann born 1851 South Melbourne and died in Prahran 9 May 1895; Edmond born c1853 died 17 Dec 1876; Annie born c1857; Grace born c1860 and Mary Anne. At the time of Johannah’s death in 1878 Mary Ann, John and Edmund were deceased.

Johannah O’Regan nee Walsh died age 58 in 1878.

Johannah O'Regan 1878 Death Certificate — Death Certificate of Johannah O’Regan Emerald Hill Melbourne 1878

Thomas Dobbins O’Regan died in South Melbourne on 20 May 1888 .

Thomas Dobbins O'Regan Death Cert 1888_cropped — Death Certificate of Thomas Dobbins O’Regan May 1888 Melbourne

His occupation is given as gentleman. He was wealthy and lived off the rent from The Australia Hotel in Bourke St in the center of Melbourne. He spent five years in Tasmania and forty five years in Victoria. He must have came out to Tasmania at about age 19 around 1838. Family stories say he owned a silver mine in Tasmania. He married Johannah Walsh shortly after moving to Victoria in 1842.

When Thomas Dobbins O’Regan died in 1888 his estate was valued at 14,641 pounds. He was an extremely wealthy man. His marriage certificate has very few details and no occupation. He was listed in The Victoria Post office Directory of 1869 as living in Emerald Hill (South Melbourne) but no occupation. He was in Victoria during the Gold Rush which started in 1851 so he may have made his money then.

In the Australia Directory for Port Phillip 1847 Thomas O’Regan is listed as a farrier in Wrights Lane. Wright’s Lane extended from Lonsdale St to Little Bourke Street and was named before 1847 after an early settler. It was later renamed Hardware Lane.

O’Regan’s Shoeing Business Moves Notice in The Argus 12 Feb 1858

In the same directory is Peter McSweeney (listed as Peter M’Sweeney) a cooper working in Bourke St. Peter McSweeney’s son John Vincent married Thomas O’Regan’s daughter Sarah Ann.

The O’Regans and McSweeneys both lived in Emerald Hill in later years, so again there is a connection. In the Electoral Roll for Victoria 1856 Thomas O’Regan, a farrier, is registered to vote. His residence is a freehold and is off Bourke St in Melbourne in St Patrick’s Division.

On his daughter Sarah’s marriage certificate 1871 his occupation was given as veterinary surgeon.

At the time of his death in 1888 he owned The Australia Hotel on Bourke St in the center of Melbourne which returned a rent of 350 pounds annually. It was leased to a Mrs Honor Bennett at the time of his death and valued at 14,000 pounds. Whether he was a publican himself we don’t know. There is no occupation given on his marriage certificate. He lived at 16 Bridport St South Melbourne in 1888 with his unmarried daughters Annie and Grace. He also owned this property which was valued at 650 pounds.

His will which can be seen at PROV Probate and Wills Online. The beneficiaries of his will were his children and two grandchildren. His grandaughter Hannah Ann Teresa McSweeney daughter of Sarah O’Regan was my ggrandmother. She was called Annie.

There is much more on the McSweeney family from Co Cork Ireland in this post.

Annie McSweeney cropped — Annie McSweeney daughter of Sarah Ann O’Regan

Below is the will of Thomas O’Regan who died in 1888.

16 Bridport St South Melbourne — Bridport St South Melbourne 2011 middle house likely no 16 where O’Regans lived

Thomas and Johannah O’Regan were buried in Melbourne General Cemetery.

Thomas O'Regan Melb Cemetery — O’Regan Family Grave Melbourne General Cemetery

In the O’Regan family grave these members of Thomas Dobbins O’Regan are buried with him. His son Edmund who died in 1876 aged 25, his wife Johanna aged 58 buried Mar 1978. Thomas Dobbins O’Regan himself buried May 1888, Sarah McSweeney his daughter buried May 1895 and his great grand child Babe Cook stillborn buried August 1904. These are all in Compartment D grave no 354.

In Compartment D grave 355, which I am assuming is in the same family plot shown in the photo, are buried William A O’Regan aged 38 buried on 5 Sept 1883, Thomas Dobbins O’Regan’s daughters Annie O’Regan aged 56 buried on 24 April 1918 and Grace O’Regan aged 86 buried on 16 Nov 1943.

Sarah O’Regan married John Vincent McSweeney, a school teacher, in about 1869 in South Melbourne and they had one child, Annie Teresa in 1872 in Camperdown Victoria.

In 2012 an O’Regan descendant commissioned research into the O’Regan family in Co Limerick. The researcher tried to find Thomas O’Regan who married Grace Dobbins. She wasn’t able to find anything conclusive but some of her observations were interesting. I have summarised below her observations and findings:

Apparently the birth dates given in census, marriage and death records are often incorrect, as people in the nineteenth century were often unsure of their age and year of birth and so ages were guessed at.

Illiteracy and human error could affect the accuracy of all information given on nineteenth century records and especially the recording of names involved. Even by the mid-nineteenth century less than half the population could read or write in Ireland. It seems that the priest recording names would not ask the family to spell the name but would guess at the spelling hence the variations in surname within the same family.

O’Regan could be recorded as Regan, Reagan, Reaghan, Reygan or Reegan. The prefix O’ was arbitrarily added and dropped on records within families. Also due to the use of the cursive script Regan could be mistakenly transcribed as Rynne, Ryan and Ruane. Dobbins could be recorded as Dobbin, Dobbyn, Dobins or Dubbin. The surname Dobbins and the christian name Grace would be quite unusual in nineteenth century Limerick.

It was not possible to find a baptismal record for a Thomas O’Regan born to Grace Dobbins and Thomas O’Regan in Limerick from 1814-1823. A considerable number of baptisms were not recorded or the O’Regans could have been living in a parish which does not have surviving records for this time.

There were also no records found of other children born to a Thomas O’Regan and Grace Dobbins in Co Limerick.

A search for the marriage of a Thomas O’Regan and Grace Dobbins also proved negative but there is a marriage record of a William O’Regan and a Grace Dobbins in Limerick City in 1811 which took place on Wed 3 July 1811 in the Roman Catholic parish of St Mary’s in the Diocese of Limerick in Limerick city. It is possible the priest mistakenly recorded the groom’s christian name as the name Grace Dobbins is so rare in Limerick records. The witnesses to this marriage were named as Mathew Bowin and John Power.

The researcher then tried to track Thomas O’Regan senior using the information given on his son’s death certificate that he was a teacher. In Bassett’s Directory of 1884 Limerick city she did come across a Mr O’Regan listed as an arithmetic and calligraphy teacher at the Jesuit’s Sacred heart College at the Crescent.

It was not possible to find any baptismal or death records for Thomas O’Regan or Grace Dobbins.

McSweeney Family History, Cork to Emerald Hill, Victoria Australia

Peter McSweeney came out to Australia in Oct 1838 from Co Cork Ireland with his wife Hannah Meehan. He was a cooper and lived in Emerald Hill Melbourne. His son John Vincent married Sarah Ann O’Regan. Their only daughter Annie is my ggrandmother. She married Robert Eason Cook and had three children by him. He died in 1906. Her second marriage was to Rupert Owen Croxton Collier. They had five children. Rupert died in 1916 and Annie in 1919. They are buried in Springvale Cemetery Melbourne.

Peter McSweeney was the first of this family to come out to Australia. He was born in Co Cork Ireland about 1801 and came to NSW in 1838. He was a cooper. His father Michael McSweeney was also described as a master cooper on Peter’s death certificate. The surname was often written as Sweeny and occasionally Swiney.

I have been looking at DNA matches to McSweeney. One family who must be related in some way to Peter McSweeney came from Ballytrasna in Kilmurry RC Parish (1901 & 1911 Census Kilmurry). Ballytrasna is on the main road from Cork City to Macroom town. There is a great similarity in first names but I haven’t been able to find a baptism record for Peter. As his father was Michael McSweeney and a master cooper the connection to Ballytrasna is further back. I am however sure there is a common Ballytrasna McSweeney ancestor. In the Griffiths Valuation map below Bryan McSweeney is leasing about 85 acres on lot 3.

I have also a DNA match with three male members of the Tobin family from West Cork. We match the same segment on the same chromosome along with a Mary Kelly. I have read this can indicate a common ancestor. In the Tobin family there is Swiney ancestry. Margaret Swiney married John Dineen.

My grgrgrgrandfather Peter McSweeney married Hannah Meehan on 7 June 1838 in St Patrick’s Parish Cork City Co Cork Ireland. The witnesses were Joseph and Mary O’Keeffe.

Marriage of Peter McSweeney and Hannah Meehan 7 Jun 1838 St Patrick’s Cork City Cork

Peter McSweeney Arrival 1838 — Arrival of Peter and Hannah McSweeney on the Calcutta 1838 NSW Family Search.org Card

The above card is from the records of The Latter Day Saints. Through Ancestry.com I found the passenger lists for the “Calcutta” and some of the information is different. Hannah’s maiden name has always been given as Meehan and I suspect Newboldt is a transcription error. Below are the ship’s list entries for Peter and Hannah McSweeney.

Hannah McSweeney Ships Entry The Calcutta 1838cropped — The “Calcutta”Arrived Oct 1838 Sydney NSW

Peter McSweeney Ships List Calcuttacropped — Entry for Peter McSweeney on the Calcutta Oct 1838 Sydney

The Calcutta’s passengers were all highly skilled bounty immigrants, their fare being 15 pounds each. Their occupations ranged from blacksmiths, plasterers, carpenters to one farmer. There were no laborers on this ship. Peter McSweeney was a cooper.

“Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads. Examples of a cooper’s work include but are not limited to casks, barrels, buckets, tubs, butter churns, hogsheads, firkins, tierces, rundlets, puncheons, pipes, tuns, butts, pins and breakers.

Traditionally there were four divisions in the cooper’s craft. The “dry” or “slack” cooper made containers that would be used to ship dry goods such as cereals, nails, tobacco, fruits and vegetables. The “dry-tight” cooper made casks designed to keep dry goods in and moisture out. Gunpowder and flour casks are examples of a “drytight” cooper’s work. The “white cooper” made straight staved containers like washtubs, buckets and butter churns, that would hold water and other liquids, but did not allow shipping of the liquids. Usually there was no bending of wood involved in white cooperage. The “wet” or “tight” cooper made casks for long- term storage and transportation of liquids that could even be under pressure, as with beer.” Wikipedia

He married Hannah Meehan in Cork City in St Patrick’s Catholic Parish on 7 Jun 1838.

They had seven children in Australia: Mary, Catherine, John, John Vincent, Eugene and Hannah. They lived in Emerald Hill now called South Melbourne.

The Australia Directory for Port Phillip 1847 has him listed as Peter M’Sweeney a cooper in Bourke St Melbourne. In the 1866 Victoria Post Office Directory he was living at Three-chain Rd Emerald Hill. The 1869 Post Office Directory of Victoria has him listed as a cooper in Emerald Hill.

He owned some property and in his will he is described as a gentleman. His estate was valued at 788 pounds. He owned land in Bridport St Emerald Hill and also two two storey houses of six rooms each. He also owned land in Gold St Collingwood and a four room cottage 17 Albert Rd Emerald Hill.

Peter McSweeney died on 7 Mar 1872, aged 70. He resided at 17 Albert Rd. South Melbourne and is buried in Melbourne Cemetery.

Peter McSweeney Death Cert 1872 cropped — Death Certificate of Peter McSweeney March 1872 Melbourne

In his will Peter McSweeney left his two houses in Bridport St South Melbourne to his daughter Hannah.

His wife Hannah died the same year shortly after her husband.

Hannah McSweeney 1872 Death cropped — Death Certificate of Hannah McSweeney nee Meehan 1872 Melbourne

In Hannah’s will five living children are mentioned, Mary married to Frederick Pearce from San Francisco, James, Catherine, John and Hannah. So it appears that Eugene is deceased by 1872 and perhaps Micheal James is being called James. Money is given to John Vincent, Mary and Hannah. Michael James, Catherine and Eugene are not included.

Peter & Hannah McSweeney 1872 Melb Gen Cem. — Gravestone of Hannah and Peter McSweeney and their son John Vincent McSweeney Melbourne Cemetery

Their son John Vincent McSweeney married my gggrandmother Sarah Ann O’Regan on June 4 1871 at St Peters and Pauls Catholic Church in Emerald Hill. She was 19 and John 21 and a teacher.

John Vincent McSweeney and Sarah O'Regan Marriage 1871cropped — Marriage Certificate of John Vincent McSweeney and Sarah Ann O’Regan 1871 Melbourne Victoria Australia

St Peter and Paul's Catholic Church South Melbourne — St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church South Melbourne where Sarah O’Regan and John McSweeney Married

St Peter & Paul's Church Interior — Interior of St Peter & Paul’s Catholic Church South Melbourne

Sarah McSweeney nee O’Regan died of breast cancer in 1895 she was 43 years old. She is buried in Melbourne Cemetery with other O’Regan family members.

There is much more on the O’Regan family in O’Regan Family History from Limerick to Emerald Hill Melbourne.

Sarah McSweeney 1895 Death cropped — Death Certificate of Sarah McSweeney nee O’Regan 1895

They had one child Ann Teresa in 1872 in Camperdown Victoria in the Western District between Geelong and Warnambool. She was often called Hannah although she later called herself Annie.

Camperdown Mt. Leura and Mt. Sugarloaf, c1890 — Camperdown Victoria c1890

Annie McSweeney Birth Certificate 1872 cropped — Birth certificate of Ann Teresa McSweeney 1872 Camperdown Victoria

John Vincent McSweeney died in 1916 at age 68.

John Vincent McSweeney 1916 Death cropped — Death Certificate of John Vincent McSweeney 1916

I have not been able to find John Vincent McSweeney on any electoral rolls. Below is a timeline for him:

1849 Born Melbourne

June 1871 marries Sarah O’Regan. He is 20 and a school teacher and resides in Emerald Hill.

7 March 1872 His father Peter McSweeney dies.

4 April 1872 Birth of daughter in Camperdown Victoria Teacher residing in Camperdown.

11 April 1872 His mother dies. John Vincent McSweeney is residing at Purrumbete Camperdown.

21 August 1888 In his father-in-laws will Sarah his wife is living at Blessington St St Kilda and he is described as from Sydney NSW.

1893 daughter Annie marries Robert Eason Cook. She lives at Inkerman St St Kilda and her father John Vincent McSweeney is described as a gentleman.

1895 Wife Sarah dies at 101 Union St Prahran where his daughter and her husband are living. On her death certificate Sarah is listed as living 2 years in Qld, 2 years in NSW and 39 years in Victoria.

1908 Daughter Annie marries for the second time, to Rupert Collier. Her father’s occupation was listed as civil engineer.

Sept 1916 John Vincent McSweeney died at 8 Woodside St Fitzroy. His occupation given as school teacher.

April 1919 His Annie daughter dies. His occupation was listed as civil engineer.

It seems that he spent some time in Qld and NSW but I can find no trace of him in electoral rolls, newspapers or teacher’s records. Strange that he wasn’t registered to vote.

Their daughter Annie McSweeney married Robert Eason Cook in Armadale in Melbourne on 24 Jan 1893. He was 19 and a law clerk and Annie was 20. Annie is my great grandmother on my mother’s side.

The Scottish ancestry of the Cook family is covered in another post Easson Family History.

Annie McSweeney and Robert Cook Marriage cropped1 — Marriage Certificate of Annie McSweeney and Robert Eason Cook 1893 Melbourne

They had four children: Grace Annie Francis born in 1893 in Prahran, my grandmother; James Alexander Thomas Eason born 1896; John Walter Clemont born 1901 and a stillborn child born in 1904.

Their marriage broke down at some stage and Annie married Rupert Owen Croxton Collier. (What I have on the Collier family is in another post still in draft, Collier Family History.) She had a child to Rupert Collier while still married to Robert Cook.

Robert Eason Cook died suddenly at age 34 in Brisbane Queensland. What he was doing there is unknown. His occupation was given as indent clerk. The informant on his death certificate was his brother Thomas Cook who usually resided in Perth Western Australia. What they were both doing in Brisbane at this time is a mystery.

Annie McSweeney married Rupert Owen Croxton Collier in

Annie Cook and Rupert Collier 1908 Marriage cropped — Marriage Certificate of Annie McSweeney and Rupert Collier 1908

Rupert and Annie had five children: Esther Helena in 1906; Winifred Mary in 1908; Inez Lorna c1911; Rupert Croxton c1913 and Nellie Constance in 1914.

1909 Australian Electoral Roll

Annie Collier 1914 Electoral Roll 2 — 1914 Australian Electoral Roll

Annie Collier 1919 Electoral Roll 2 — 919 Australian Electoral Roll

I can remember being told that my great grandparents died in the Spanish Flu Epidemic 1918-1919 after the Second World War in which about 12,500 Australians died. Rupert Collier died in 1916 of broncho pneumonia aged 36 and Annie died in April 1919 age 43 from influenza, her youngest child was 4 years old.

She left three Cook children, my grandmother Grace being the eldest and at the time of her mother’s death. From her second marriage to Rupert Collier she left five children. I was told by my grandmother that the younger children by Rupert Collier were put in an orphanage and after my grandmother married Ernie Wilson she looked after them all along with her own children, a total of eleven children.

Annie Collier McSweeney Death Cert 1919 cropped — Death Certificate of Annie McSweeney 1919

Annie is buried in Springvale cemetery Melbourne with her second husband Rupert Collier.

Springvale Cemetery Annie McSweeny — Grave of Annie McSweeney and Rupert Collier Springvale Cemetery Melbourne

Collier Family History Kent England to Clunes Victoria Australia

Rupert Owen Croxton Collier married my great grandmother Annie McSweeney in 1908 in Bacchus Marsh Victoria Australia. His ancestry goes back to Edward Norwood born 1688 in Kingsnorth Kent. James Lyon Collier was the Clunes Postmaster for many years.

Rupert Owen Croxton Collier married my great grandmother Annie McSweeney in 1908 in Bacchus Marsh Victoria Australia. She had previously been married to my great grandfather Robert Eason Cook.

Rupert Collier’s ancestry has been traced back to Edward Norwood born 1688 in Kingsnorth Kent England.

Rupert’s father, James Lyon Collier, was the Clunes postmaster for 26 years from 1860 -c1886. After this he was postmaster at Portland.

James Lyon Collier and William Collier Post Masters Vic Gazette 1861 — James Lyon Collier appointed postmaster 1861 Vic Govt Gazette

There are quite a few interesting newspaper articles mentioning James Lyon Collier which I found on Trove:

James Lyon Collier Marriage 31 May 1871 Bendigo Advertiser 31 May 1871 — Marriage of James Lyon Collier and Esther Croxton 1871

James Lyon Collier Super Claim Portland Guardian 1 Sept 1901 cr — Account of an unsuccessfull claim for superannuation payment by James Lyon Collier as reported in The Portland Guardian Sept 1 1901

James Lyon Collier Death Notice in The Argus 22 Dec 1902 cr — James Lyon Collier Death Notice in The Argus 22 Dec 1902

James Lyon Collier Death Notice in Bendigo Advertiser 27 Dec 1902 cr — Death Notice for James Lyon Collier in The Bendigo Advertiser 27 Dec 1902

James Lyon Collier Obit The Portland Guardian 24 Dec 1902cr — Obituary for James Lyon Collier in The Portland Guardian Dec 24 1902

View of Clunes c1860-1869 — View of Clunes Victoria in the 1860s

Rupert was born in Clunes in 1879. His father was postmaster there until 1883 when they moved to Portland where he was postmaster until 1888. Rupert would have been four when he lived in Portland. He won first prize at the Horticultural Show in 1888 in the six button-hole bouquet section.

Rupert Collier Wins Prize 1888 9 Nov Portland Guardian — Rupert Collier wins a prize at the Portland Horticultural and Floricultural Society. Portland Guardian 9 Nov 1888

Annie was married to Robert Eason Cook when she became involved with Rupert Collier. Annie had four children to Robert the last being still born in 1904. In 1906 Esther Helena “Bloss” was born to Rupert and Annie. They married two years later. I don’t know what happened to the first marriage. Robert Eason Cook died in Brisbane in 1906. What he was doing up there is another mystery. To add to the mystery his brother Thomas who lived in Perth was there as well. Robert’s occupation was an indent clerk. He is buried in Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane.

To get back to Rupert and Annie. Theirs is a sad story as they both died young leaving Annie’s three children from her first marriage and the five from her marriage to Rupert orphans.

When she and Rupert married her children from Robert Cook were Grace, my grandmother, aged 15, James aged 12 and John aged 7.

Rupert and Annie had five children: Esther Helena called Bloss, Winifred called Winnie, Big Winnie to differentiate her from my mother who was also a Winifred, Inez, Rupert called Bertie, and Nellie.

From Electoral Rolls we can trace where they lived and Rupert’s occupation.

In 1909 they were living at 26 Lennox St Hawthorn and Rupert was a produce merchant. In 1914 he was working as a gardener and living at 19 Canning St Carlton.

Rupert enlisted on Feb 2, 1916:

Rupert Owen Collier Enlistment Application 1916 — Enlistment form for Rupert Owen Collier Feb 2 1916

Rupert died seven months later.

Rupert Collier Death 1916 cr — Death Certificate of Rupert Owen Collier Sept 1916

Annie died during the Spanish Influenza Epidemic in 1919. An estimated 50 -100 million people were killed by this virus around the world. It is said to have been brought into Australia by soldiers returning home from WW1.

Annie and Rupert are buried together in Springvale Cemetery in Melbourne Victoria Australia. There is no headstone .

Springvale Cemetery Melbourne Grave of Annie McSweeney and Rupert Collier — Grave of Annie McSweeney and Rupert Collier Springvale Cemetery Victoria

When Annie died my grandmother was 26, James 23, Jack 18. The children of Rupert and Annie would have been Esther 14, Winifred 10, Inez 8, Rupert 6, and Nellie 4. Apparently they stayed in a house with a housekeeper but eventually had to be split up and put into orphanages. My mother told me her mother got married to an older man, Ernie Wilson, so she could take them out of the orphanages. My mother also said her mother had all her half sisters and brother as well as her own four children to rear. I don’t know how true this is after talking to other family members. My grandmother married Ernie Wilson in 1911, well before her mother’s death in 1919. My grandmother being the eldest would have done a lot of caring for her younger half sisters and brother. From what I have been told Nellie and Bertie lived for some time with Winnie Munro nee Collier.

John “Jack” Cook took the name Collier and married Evelyn Hutson. He lived in Ballarat and was a showman, whatever that was.

James Alexander Thomas Eason Cook married Nellie Graham and lived in Melbourne.

Esther”Bloss” Collier married Herbert Skinner, Winnie married George Munro and lived at Marian Ave Coburg, Inez had a disability and lived with Winnie and Nellie’s families, she did not marry, Bertie was single as far as I can tell and Nellie, the youngest married Allan Turner.